Water safety awareness

Water safety awareness training is mandatory for all foster and kinship carers, regardless of whether their home or property has a pool, spa, creek, dam or access to any body of water. Water safety awareness training course content is available for non-family based care agencies to use at their discretion.

It has been developed in response to a coronial recommendation for out-of-home care services and staff training on the identification of water hazards, water safety and the appropriate level of supervision of children and young people in and around water hazards.

Water safety awareness training consists of 5 modules and is required to be completed within the first 12 months of a carer approval for all foster and kinship carers.

Carers who have already been registered for Hope and Healing on the PeakCare training platform are able to enroll and complete Water safety awareness training online via the platform.

For carers who are not registered through PeakCare for Hope and Healing for Foster Carers you can access Water safety awareness training through the below PowerPoint link, carers will need access to Microsoft 365 to complete the quiz portion of this training.

• Water safety awareness training (PDF, 4.7 MB) Water safety awareness training (PPTX, 20.2 MB)

The following factsheet resources are available from the Royal Life Saving website

1. Fact Sheet 01: Supervise (PDF)
2. Fact Sheet 01: Supervision (PDF) (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resource-NSW government funded)
3. Fact Sheet 02: Restrict Access (PDF)
4. Fact Sheet 02: Restrict Access (PDF) (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resource-NSW government funded)
5. Fact Sheet 03: Water Awareness (PDF)
6. Fact Sheet 04: Resuscitate (PDF)
7. Fact Sheet 06: Child Safe Play Areas (PDF)
8. Fact Sheet 06: Home Water Safety (PDF) (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resource-NSW government funded)
9. Fact Sheet 07: Home Water Safety (PDF)
10. Fact Sheet 08: Home Pool Safety (PDF)
11. Fact Sheet 12: Farm Water Safety (PDF)
12. Fact Sheet 13: Inland Waterways (PDF)
13. Fact Sheet 14: Water Safety on Holidays (PDF)
14. Fact Sheet 15: Swim and Survive (PDF)
15. Fact Sheet 18: Rescue Safety (PDF)
16. Fact Sheet 19: Life Jackets (PDF)
17. Fact Sheet 20: Watercraft Safety (PDF)
18. Fact Sheet 23: Shallow water blackout (PDF)
19. Fact Sheet 22: Alcohol and Water Safety (PDF)
20. Fact Sheet 25: Flooding (PDF)
21. Fact Sheet 26: Pool Safety Devices (PDF)
22. Fact Sheet 27: Beach Safety (PDF)
23. Fact Sheet 28: Children's Pool Party Safety (PDF)

Below are some additional resources related to water safety awareness:

1. The Hazard of Toddler Bucket Drowning website (PDF) (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
2. Tips to make your pool safer (PDF) (Department of Housing and Public Works)